Devils pounce late in Game 5, take control of Rangers series

The Rangers rallied, but the Devils had the last laugh in Game 5 Wednesday during a 5-3 win that put the Rangers on the ropes in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Devils can land the knockout punch against the top-seeded Blueshirts with a third straight win in Friday's Game 6 in Newark.

Ryan Carter scored from in front on a pass from Stephen Gionta with 4:24 left to snap a tie, and Zach Parise scored an empty-netter to seal the win.

"There it is, game winner," Carter said of his tiebreaking goal. "This is the biggest goal of my career. I don't think there's any arguing that."

Carter's goal undercut a remarkable rally by the Rangers, who fell behind 3-0 in the first 10 minutes but rallied to tie it early in the third.

The win moved the Devils to within one win of a showdown against Los Angeles.

With his first goal of the series, Marian Gaborik's shot from the right side at the 17-second mark of the third period brought the Rangers all the way back from the three-goal deficit, but it wasn't enough.

"It just hurts the way it ends, a late goal there," said goalie Henrik Lundqvist. "We worked so hard to get back in this game and we did so many good things. So we just have to remember that for the next one."

Devils 3, Rangers 2

Game 1: Rangers 3, Devils 0

Game 2: Devils 3, Rangers 2

Game 3: Rangers 3 Devils 0

Game 4: Devils 4, Rangers 1

Game 5: Devils 5, Rangers 3

Game 6: Fri., at Devils, 8 p.m. NBCSN

Game 7: Sun., at Rangers,8 p.m. NBC*